Joe Root celebrated his first Test win as England's permanent captain, steering his side to an innings and 103‑run triumph after Pakistan were bundled out for just 135 before the tea break on day three at Headingley. The visitors, who had been dismissed for 171 in just 48.1 overs on the opening day, collapsed again in the second innings, this time in 37.3 overs, after England posted a formidable 409 in their only innings. The English bowlers were the real engine of the win. Jofra Archer, who had looked a little rusty in the first innings, bounced back with a three‑wicket haul early in the second innings, reducing Pakistan to 13 for 2.
After the lunch interval, Josh Tongue ripped through the middle order, claiming three wickets, including that of Shan Masood, who had made 29. Their combined pressure ensured the tourists could not even dream of reaching a fourth day.
**First innings – Pakistan 171 all out (48.1 overs)** Top scorers: Abdullah Shafique 61, Imam‑ul‑Haq 42. England’s opening bowlers were unrelenting: Josh Tongue 5‑46 and Ollie Robinson 5‑51. **England 409 all out (89.5 overs)** Key contributions came from Harry Brook’s fluent 91, Jordan Cox’s sturdy 73, Joe Root’s steady 66 and Dan Lawrence’s useful 51. Pakistan’s bowlers managed a few wickets, with Ali Usman 5‑95 and Khurram Shahzad 3‑133, but they could not stem the flow of runs.
**Second innings – Pakistan 135 all out (37.3 overs)** Mohammad Rizwan top‑scored with 41, but the rest of the line‑up faltered. England’s pacemen shared the spoils: Ollie Robinson 3‑29, Josh Tongue 3‑43, Jofra Archer 3‑50 and the newcomer Gus Atkinson 1‑11. Root’s captaincy was rewarded not only with the win but also with a few moments of fielding brilliance. Azan Awais clipped Archer’s delivery to leg‑slip, while Saud Shakeel was caught by Dan Lawrence in an unconventional backward‑square position off Tongue’s bowling.
These dismissals highlighted England’s aggressive field placements and added to the one‑sided nature of the contest. Gus Atkinson’s economical spell (1‑11) helped finish off a stubborn Rizwan, who had been the top scorer for Pakistan. Meanwhile, Mohammad Abbas’s wayward delivery gave Archer the chance to dismiss Lawrence, sealing the match.
Overall, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue each claimed eight wickets across both innings, underlining the potency of England’s pace attack. The victory marks England’s third win in their last eleven Tests. If they can replicate the performance at Lord’s in the second Test – scheduled to start at 11 am on Thursday and broadcast live on Sky Sports – they will claim their first series win since the 2‑1 triumph in New Zealand in December 2024. Earlier in the season, England thrashed Zimbabwe in a one‑off at Trent Bridge, but they have struggled in recent multi‑match series, losing two and drawing one of their last three, including a 2‑2 dead‑heat with India, a 4‑1 drubbing in Australia, and a 2‑1 home series loss to New Zealand.
Looking ahead, England will face a sterner test of Root’s leadership in the upcoming three‑match series against Pakistan, followed by a South African tour where new head coach Stephen Fleming will oversee his first series in charge, and eventually the Ashes next summer. Despite Pakistan’s lack of depth and the absence of key players like injured Babar Azam, the English side showed a promising blend of disciplined bowling and controlled batting.
England’s run‑rate of 4.55 runs per over was driven more by Pakistan’s erratic bowling and occasional fielding lapses than by any flamboyant "Bazball" aggression. Harry Brook, in particular, displayed admirable restraint, crafting a 93‑ball 91 on his home ground.
The first‑innings five‑wicket hauls from Robinson and Tongue, combined with half‑centuries from Root, Brook, Lawrence and the recalled Jordan Cox, provided the solid foundation England needed. One low point came when Jamie Smith fell for 25, edging a short ball from Khurram Shahzad to mid‑wicket.
At that stage England were 366‑8, leading by 195 runs. However, Archer and Tongue responded with a flurry of boundaries, Archer even hitting the only six of the match off Shahzad’s delivery. Archer’s relentless pressure on the Pakistani openers forced Imam‑ul‑Haq into a defensive glove, and he soon dismissed Azan Awais, who had narrowly escaped a first‑ball lbw earlier in the game. Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood attempted to steady the innings, but Shafique was caught behind by Brook shortly before lunch.
Tongue’s spell after lunch was devastating: he removed Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and stand‑in captain Salman Ali Agha (who was covering for the injured Babar Azam) in quick succession. Masood was caught at slip, while Agha fell lbw to a sharp‑bouncing delivery.
Ali Usman, who had taken five wickets – one of the few bright spots for Pakistan – was then dismissed via a spectacular diving catch by Jordan Cox after a ball deflected off Smith’s thigh. Pakistan’s tail collapsed quickly. After Rizwan’s dismissal, the tail‑ender Khurram Shahzad was caught off Robinson’s first ball of an over, exemplifying the numerous missteps by the Pakistani side in Yorkshire.
The next Test at Lord’s will be streamed live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with the first ball scheduled for 11 am on Thursday. Fans can also follow the action via the NOW streaming platform. All matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with 11 am start times for the UK and Ireland audiences.